HondaJet F3 First Flight
Honda Aircraft Company's fourth conforming HondaJet aircraft, referred to as "F3," successfully completed its first flight last week on May 4, 2012. This first flight milestone was a key highlight amongst many, underscoring the HondaJet's progress and momentum toward certification. The F3 aircraft, painted in a unique and striking yellow and white signature HondaJet paint scheme, began its first flight with engine startup at 10:40 am Eastern Time and lift-off at 10:57 am, on May 4, 2012, from Honda Aircraft Company's world headquarters at the Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina. Honda Aircraft has now completed four FAA-conforming aircraft. Three of these aircraft are in its flight test fleet, plus one additional aircraft is in its structural ground test program. Earlier FAA-conforming HondaJet flight test aircraft have already achieved key benchmarks that meet or exceed the aircraft's designed performance goals of a maximum speed of 420 KTAS, maximum cruise altitude of 43000 feet, climb rate of 3990 feet per minute, and more.
